244 replies to this topic

[G-Man]

What if you own your property first and the new neighbor built his house and barn set back off the road almost 400' and 25'(min allowed by zoning law)from the property line(wanted it back in the woods for privacy). so i lose a 425' by 100 ' area of my land to hunt(and more if you figure you don't want to be shooting around the driveway) which happens to include the main deer crossing at the top of a ravine,and a good portion of an existing food plot. thats almost an acre land lost for hunting ! the owner is seasonal(late spring,summer till early fall) and woodchucks abound in the edge of the food  plot behind his barn. i can't get permission because he is an animal lover doesn't care that i hunt but no where near his property... so my food plot location is now unhuntable and unplantable do to the chucks.. 150' for a bow no problem!

[growalot]

For one thing...you said the guy is seasonal...so it doesn't stop you from hunting deer...for the law reads occupied...and you do know there are such things as live traps  right? Heres an idea....real ? here...are sling shots considered a weapon in NYS?...Because I've killed rabbits by just hand shooting a stone at their heads....I would think a sling shot would dispatch a wood chuck...to safe a hunting plot

[Doc]

This is just the kind of safety relaxation that will result in even more property being posted. When landowners find out that the only legal recourse to keeping people from shooting next to their house is to post the entire property, that's exactly what they will do.

[WNYBuckHunter]

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This is just the kind of safety relaxation that will result in even more property being posted. When landowners find out that the only legal recourse to keeping people from shooting next to their house is to post the entire property, that's exactly what they will do.

How so? If they havent given permission to anyone to hunt their property, then nothing changes for them unless their house is less than 500 feet from the property line, in which case, posting their land would make no difference anyway. The change in distances doesnt allow trespassing. Now, if the landowner allows hunting, they just tell people not to hunt within x number of feet from the house, if the people dont follow the rules, the landowner is free to give them the boot.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

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For one thing...you said the guy is seasonal...so it doesn't stop you from hunting deer...for the law reads occupied...and you do know there are such things as live traps  right? Heres an idea....real ? here...are sling shots considered a weapon in NYS?...Because I've killed rabbits by just hand shooting a stone at their heads....I would think a sling shot would dispatch a wood chuck...to safe a hunting plot

FYI...stones and sling shots are not legal hunting implements. The way the law reads it does not distinguish between an inhabited structure or not. So in this example the seasonal user has stopped the hunting activity there for the entire year even when he isn't there.....assuming the 500' stays the law.

[growalot]

Well this is from the DEC site....sling shots and stones ...didn't seem to make the list and ...Well read for your self

It is illegal to take or hunt wildlife:

• while in or on a motor vehicle (except by the holder of a Non Ambulatory Hunter Permit).
  
• with the aid of a vehicle's lights.
  
• on or from any public road.
  
• with any firearm equipped with a silencer.
  
• with any firearm which continues to fire as long as the trigger is held back (an automatic firearm).
  
• with a spear.
  
• with a bow equipped with any mechanical device which is attached to   the bow (other than the bowstring) for drawing, holding or releasing the   bowstring, except for a hunter with a disability who is in possession   of a Modified Longbow Authorizationt (compound bows are legal).
  
• with a spear gun or crossbow except for a hunter with a disability who is in possession of a Modified Crossbow Permit.
  
• with an arrow with an explosive head or shaft.
  
• with any device designed or intended to deliver drugs to an animal.
  
• with any semi-automatic firearm with a capacity to hold more than 6 rounds, EXCEPT the following semi-automatic firearms: 
  • firearms using .22 or .17 caliber rimfire ammunition, or
    
  • firearms altered to reduce their capacity to no more than 6 shells at one time in the magazine and chamber combined, or
    
  • autoloading pistols with a barrel length of less than eight inches.

[growalot]

Hhhmmm It wouldn't let me paste the next regulation in last post...so another try.....


It is illegal to discharge a firearm or bow:

• so that the load or arrow passes over any part of a public highway,
  
• within 500 feet of any school, playground, or an occupied factory or church,
  
• within 500 feet of a dwelling, farm building or structure in   occupation or use unless you own it, lease it, are an immediate member   of the family, an employee, or have the owner's consent.
  
• You may hunt waterfowl, over water, within 500 feet of a dwelling or   public structure as long as neither are within 500 feet in the   direction you are shooting.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I was told by  a DEC officer years ago that they were not a legal implement .....just like BB guns....and air guns until recently. They are not included on the illegal list but I doubt they view that list as lal inclusve. Aure would be nice if they did what they do in the Big game and list what you CAN use. One side note....while you may get a pass on a sling shot....a wrist braced one is illegal to even own in New York.

As far as the 500'. My cousin got a ticket for just such a thing. The leagal view as conveyed to him was that if the structure was considered in use if it was being used (like a chicken coop or shed) and it was considered in use (even if unoccupied) if the structure was identified by the tax rolls and was a valued structure. This took old caved in  barns and such out of the classification. But a seasonal use residence would be considered in use all year because the possibility is there and it is on the tax rolls. ANd I guess that makes sense given all the recreational property in NY.

[G-Man]

Well by your own post "occupation or use"..used is storage so illegal..... And how about people who own property 500" wide? put a camp on either side with a cabins set back in a bit and that property is unhuntalble under todays law. Yes i see a lot of 5 acre camps with people hunting there and if you measured off 500" they all are hunting illegal unless they have permission of course. 500 ft is a long way 160 or so yards.. some of my best hunting is 50 yards from my house and i'm sure it is for a lot of others near camps.. heck go 50 yards in to my woods and you cant even see the house! so how is an arrow a danger...yes i know they can deflect but i can put my back against the house structure and shoot away from it. 160yards away a herd of elephants can go thru and never be seen especially if your back is toward the structure!. Anyone with any kind of common sence knows 500' shooting towards any structure is not far enough with any implement...

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Are they startig an early archery season on those elephants down by  you? Lucky SOB.

[growalot]

That's nice that you know shooting toward any structure even 500ft isn't enough...and that you have common sence.....But let's be TOTALLY honest here for once....that does not apply to at least half the hunters out there at one point or another

Then you have the recovery issues for we both know deer can run over a 100yrds be fore expiring or 3yrds...with 60yrds being a fair average.It's nothing but a problem that doesn't need to be enacted....I have called my neighbors and asked how far they are from my line...NOT to ask permission for I don't want ppl hunting that close to me...but to find how far from my line I need to be to hunt legally ...safely and to make them feel safe as well.....I see that as building bridges...

[Doc]

I'm wondering why the law never specifically makes it illegal to knowingly shoot in the direction of a building regardless of the distance. With so many counties now allowing rifle hunting for deer, the 500' minimum for guns really seems inadequate. I know this thread is dealing with archery regulations, but a few replies relative to guns have been stirred in as well, and it brought this thought to mind. In fact even with bow shooting, I would think it would be a good idea to include some language outlawing shooting directly at houses and other structures. Can anybody lend any theories why this "directional" thing has never been brought up?

[WNYBuckHunter]

That rule would pretty much put an end to hunting. You can point in any direction (besides at a pretty good downward angle) and be pointing at some type of structure within a mile or two, from just about anywhere in the state with the exception of a few places.

[Doc]

Yes, I assumed that the wording would have to be obviously worked out to include buildings in sight. I am picturing someone shooting at a deer with a nice shiny house just beyond the 500' limit, showing up right behind the deer. In the case of a rifle, what the heck good is 500 feet. Why should that scenario be legal? With rifles in the season, distance is not really the proper criteria for safety. That is obviously my point. 167 yards??? ...... That's even questionable with a shotgun or muzzleloader.

[G-Man]

Thing is the 500' rule is in effect and  rifle allowed in my area for over 5 years.. and i only remember 1 story of someone being shot in a house and the guy was like 75 yards from it. so 500 foot is for sound? no to disturb people , it should be lowered for bow and common scenc esays not to shoot toward a structure ..or another hunter for that matter ..if 500' is so safe why allow a hunter to be 500' from another..???

[WNYBuckHunter]

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Yes, I assumed that the wording would have to be obviously worked out to include buildings in sight. I am picturing someone shooting at a deer with a nice shiny house just beyond the 500' limit, showing up right behind the deer. In the case of a rifle, what the heck good is 500 feet. Why should that scenario be legal? With rifles in the season, distance is not really the proper criteria for safety. That is obviously my point. 167 yards??? ...... That's even questionable with a shotgun or muzzleloader.

In that situation, a shotgun or ML would have a chance of hitting the house as well. What you do in situations where someone makes a bad shot like that, is you charge them with reckless endangerment or something like that. No matter how far you are from a building or yard, you have to be aware of your background. I do not even shoot directly toward a house within a quarter mile from an elevated position where the bullet or slug is going to bury itself in the dirt. Theres always the chance of a ricochet. It would be the same way with a bow, if you something stupid like hit a house thats 60 or 70 yards away, even with the proposed law in effect, you should get charged with something like I mentioned. Basically some repercussions for stupidity.

[Doc]

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Thing is the 500' rule is in effect and  rifle allowed in my area for over 5 years.. and i only remember 1 story of someone being shot in a house and the guy was like 75 yards from it. so 500 foot is for sound? no to disturb people , it should be lowered for bow and common scenc esays not to shoot toward a structure ..or another hunter for that matter ..if 500' is so safe why allow a hunter to be 500' from another.. ???

Lol.....wouldn't it be nice if we could rely on common sense. We wouldn't need any of these kinds of laws.

[bubba]

However, common sense isn't all that common

[nyantler]

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However, common sense isn't all that common

Ain't that the truth????

[fasteddie]

I thought this thread was about lowering the shooting distance for BOWs ( not guns ) .  ???